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5/28 Reading Portions: Deuteronomy 1; Psalms 81-82; Isaiah 29; 3 John
Isaiah 29:24
“And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction.”
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While Isaiah’s prophecy in this chapter contains several dimensions of interpretation— historical from Isaiah’s day, faithfully prophetic of Jesus Messiah’s day, exultingly prophetic of Jesus Messiah’s second coming, and practically prophetic of Jesus Messiah’s reigning ministry for His church today— let us consider the latter for today. While Isaiah’s prophetic judgment upon Ariel, or Jerusalem, “the city where David encamped” (Isa 29:1), presents a people who have strayed from God, Peter reminds us that “it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God” (1 Pet 4:17). Though we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, we must ever remember that the corruptions of mortal flesh will cause us to err, or go astray in spirit, as James reminds us:
For we all stumble in many ways. James 3:2
We are not immune from error or straying. We must submit to the Holy Spirit every moment. We must bow the knee to King Jesus always as His holy subjects. We must trust the providence of our heavenly Father to awaken us to the truth of His Word…
…that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the Day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
Yet until that Day of Jesus Christ’s appearing, almighty God will minister judgments upon our souls to guide us into light, and by His light, dispel the erring ways and the straying spirit. A visitation of the Lord of hosts to our souls will come with the thunder of Christ’s voice, with the earthquake and great noise of Christ’s crucifixion and atoning death, with the whirlwind and tempest of the Holy Spirit who blows where He wishes, and the flame of a devouring fire in sanctifying grace (Isa 29:6). Then, we will come to understanding the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work more thoroughly, and we will accept instruction from His sovereign Word and will, which will cast our murmuring ignorance aside. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
O, how wondrous is the work
Of our God when we stray;
Our murmuring will be quell’d and crush’d
By Christ’s true and holy way.